Arbor Day Project Puts Price Tag on Trees

Want to double or even triple the return on your investment? Plant a tree. On Arbor Day, Friday, hundreds of Chicago-area trees will sport price tags that show their dollar value to the environment over 15 years. That’s what the Chicago-area Morton Arboretum hopes to demonstrate April 29, Arbor Day, when they hang bright green tags on hundreds of trees around the city and suburbs. Each 11- by 17-inch label spells out in dollars the amount each tree gives back to the community in environmental benefits over the next 15 years. According to figures from the U.S. Forest Service, on average, every $1 spent annually to care for trees returns $2.70 in payback such as cleaner air due to carbon and pollution absorption, reduced energy costs for cooling thanks to shade and even higher property values. Trees also reduce polluted storm water runoff into sewer systems. “Trees aren’t ju...